Bees in Space

Overview

Bees in Space is an opportunity for everyone to be a part of the space program and make a real contribution to the exploration of this new frontier. This project invites students to design and launch an experiment into space to help solve the problems of how humans will go to Mars. The first person to step on Mars is still in primary school so it is appropriate that they be part of this great adventure.

Bees in Space is an exciting program designed to involve all members of the community in space exploration. Students will work with scientists and industry to investigate an effective pollinator for a micro gravity greenhouse and develop an ecosystem capable of producing food to sustain a human presence on Mars. This will include the selection of an appropriate pollinator, plant selection, environmental control, engineering systems and monitoring.

To provide the Mars crew with sufficient food a space greenhouse has become the subject of international research. Plants grown in space have not produced fruit without astronaut intervention, which raises the question, how do you pollinate plants in space?

As we develop the means to sustain life beyond Earth our understanding of how to sustain and enhance life on our planet is increased. New technologies and skills which are developed as part of the program will be matured and implemented in a range of industries. In this way students will have a positive impact on their own community and how we manage our fragile ecosystem as well as our ability to successfully move beyond our own planet.

Bees in Space builds on the experiences gained with the successful Spiders in Space experiment that flew on STS-107 Columbia in 2003. Feedback from students and teachers involved in the Spider project clearly indicated that they were unanimously excited and motivated beyond the normal academic level by the challenge of new discovery. The opportunity to make a real contribution and see first hand the value and impact of science and technology fosters an understanding of the value of science and inspires students to pursue science to a higher level of proficiency.

The project brings together under Space Qualified Foundation, the expertise of RMIT University, Melbourne Zoo and the Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC). The support of organizations such as The Mars Society, The Australian Space Research Institute (ASRI) and The National Space Society of Australia (NSSA) will give students access to rocket launches at Woomera, a control greenhouse at the Mars Analogue site at Arkaroola and the support of experts in their fields. Zero-G flights and a launch on a Russian Soyuz rocket to test engineering systems and pollinator selection will culminate in an experiment on the International Space Station.

Bees in Space is a unique initiative that supports both space research and education within an exciting and motivating program. The dream of returning to the moon and pressing on to Mars is one that can realistically be achieved with the drive and passion of current students and the support of the wider community. The first step on the moon may have been taken “For all mankind” the first step on Mars should be taken with the involvement “Of all mankind”.

For further details contact

Assoc Prof Lachlan Thompson Lachlan@rmit.edu.au

Ms. Naomi Mathers naomi.mathers@rmit.edu.au

Highlights for participating students throughout the project include:
 

   construction of test glasshouse in the desert at Arkaroola, South Australia;

   launches of suborbital Zuni rockets with preliminary experiments on board;

   construction of Antarctic test glasshouse;

   preliminary experiments aboard zero gravity flights;

   preliminary experiments aboard the US Space Shuttle;

   presentations and discussions at student conferences;

   meetings and teleconferences with astronauts and former astronauts;

   meetings and teleconferences with scientists and industry specialists;

   teleconference with astronauts aboard the International Space Station;

   preliminary launches with experiments into low earth orbit;

   presentations of papers at scientific and industry conferences;

   final launch to the International Space Station.
 

The students have the opportunity to be involved in a life-changing experience and contribute to real, long-term research. Each student will be part of an international network of fellow students, industry specialists, biological researchers and educators.

Sponsors and other supporters will receive international exposure with unprecedented media interest. The Spiders in Space project generated hundreds of press and electronic articles in Australia and around the world. The Bees in Space project will be many times more complex, with more opportunities for media interest and a much greater international scope.

The public will gain a much-needed understanding of the importance of long-term space research and, in particular, of the gravity of the current world-wide pollinator crisis and what needs to be done to remedy the problem.

The space industry will have access to new and important research. Effective pollinators are required to maintain food crops for the planned trip to Mars but no such research is currently being undertaken by NASA or ESA.

Pollination researchers will be provided with the two main elements identified by the international pollination community as essential to address the pollinator crisis: increased awareness by the public and students; and research into alternative pollinators.